PAPTAC Weekly News Update - April 25, 2014

PAPTAC Weekly News Update - April 17, 2014

PAPTAC Weekly News Update - April 11, 2014

Poster Session, 2014: Canvasses of tomorrow

The intellectual dynamics were seen among the young graduate students at the PAPTAC Conference where they gathered their innovative thoughts during the Poster Session on the 100th Anniversary of PaperWeek in February, 2014, in Montreal.

About 25 students from more than six universities actively showcased posters which were a cornerstone of the Conference. Viewers were greatly encouraged by viewing the posters of the creative presenters.Their work focused on emerging and sustainable technology, including but not limited to, improving paper strength and barrier properties for versatile use, recovering value-added chemicals from pulping effluent, optimizing cost for recovery boiler, making a paper-based bio-active sensor for detecting chemicals and micro-organisms, and so on. The Poster Session became a place of networking and a chance for transferring academic knowledge to applied fields. This silent art of telling a story through canvas introduced future leaders who would take their new and innovative ideas to the next scientific world.

This event took an exciting turn with the competitive awards offered to emerging scientists. The highlight was when the Executive Director of PAPTAC announced the winners of the best poster presentations. Eric Jin and Naz Orang from University of Toronto, Ehsan Zaman from University of British Columbia, and Sana Jahan from McMaster University, were awarded for their masterpieces, and they received cash prizes and certificates. Eric Jin, one of the winners, found this event of poster showcasing, a great opportunity. He received valuable comments, criticisms, and new ideas from students, professors, and industrial professionals. He firmly believes that the exposure of the Poster Session will definitely create momentum in his future work.

For more than five years PAPTAC has been arranging a Poster Session each year to encourage participation from graduate students. To take the research to a higher platform, this year’s Poster Session was concluded by the annual Student Committee Meeting, with special focus on industry/ academia cooperation. This legacy will be passed from those of UNB, to the graduate students of the University of Toronto, for the 2015 Poster Session.The success and pace of the 2014 Poster Session has paved the way for next year!

Laboni Ahsan, President of Student committee 2013-2014, PhD Student, University of New Brunswick

PAPTAC OVERVIEW FOR STUDENT COMMUNITIES

In order to respond to the growing need for the renewal of the industry's workforce, PAPTAC took the decision to grant a free membership to students across Canada and internationally since January 2013. "We feel this is a step in the right direction and a positive initiative to welcome future engineers, technicians, researchers, electricians and other trade professionals to the pulp & paper and forest sector, and to promote the industry as a quality environment in which to have a fulfilling career. This initiative will create a vibrant network for students to be involved in and start developing their future careers. For employers, it will provide easier access to students and will promote their company and the industry." - Greg Hay, PAPTAC Director PAPTAC is actively working in collaboration with the university, college and school career centres to introduce new student members to the Association.

CURRENT PARTNERSHIPS & ACTIVITIES INVOLVING STUDENTS:

PaperWeek Canada This huge event organized by PAPTAC is the ideal place to interact and share ideas on a national and international scale. As PAPTAC celebrates its 100th Annual Meeting in 2014, the next PWC edition will be even richer in initiatives and activities. Every year the world’s pulp and paper industry meets in Montreal. Decision-makers from several countries gather to discuss business conditions and learn about new technologies. In attendance at PaperWeek are paper company representatives, mill managers, engineers, scientists and researches, as well as representatives from allied and sisters industries. A number of activities are also directed specifically at students, in order to educate and sensitize the younger generation to the professional opportunities available in the industry for example a poster area is set up, which provide excellent networking opportunities for making exchange and learn mutually.

Career fair & Poster Session (Future Workforce Program) at PaperWeek: During PaperWeek a career fair is organized in order to approach students to the industry. Company representatives will address and meet students on such topics as: careers in the industry, the latest technologies, and a typical workday and will showcase the employment opportunities in the industry. Students have also the opportunity to meet academic representatives from different institutions offering pulp and paper programs or post-graduate/professional degrees, one-on-one dialogue with paper company representatives on internships and available positions and to network with other students. The student posters are also being organized as part of the conference program and are led by a “host” university every year. UBC hosted the session in 2013 and in 2014 it will be UNB. This is a unique opportunity to showcase the work of graduate students to the industry at large.

J-FOR J-FOR is a year long publication, called The Journal of Science & Technology for Forest Products and Processes and is PAPTAC's new flagship publication, incorporating high-quality peer-reviewed papers dealing with the technology and science of traditional and emerging areas that are pertinent to the forest industry.

FIBRE Network A very successful network, considered the largest and most collaborative university-led forestry research meeting in the world, with a delegation of 400 attendees composed mainly of students, researchers, industry, government and partners. It is the voice for research focused on delivering value for forest product competitiveness and transformation to support Canada’s national forest sector. An entire FIBRE Day (Forest Innovation by Research and Education) will kick off PaperWeek Canada 2014 on February 3 in Montreal at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel.

FUTURE CREDO But your involvement is needed! Workforce renewal, technology and process advancement and innovation are key aspects for the Association. As a student you are the key-driving factor to carry this out. Being part of the new working generation next generation of papermakers and researchers, you are in the right position to act as a soundboard to prepare the industry for the future. As PAPTAC is a very well organized network, a world of exchange of information and experiences, we invite you to get involved with our industry in joining our Association and contributing by setting up together initiatives tailored to students. PAPTAC’s idea is to form a group, gathering students from different universities in Canada and eventually abroad to create a learning platform and greater synergy among universities. By formalizing a structure, which would link active students from UfoT to PAPTAC, we believe we will be able to form a dynamic environment for student activities as part of PAPTAC. You can play an active role within our/ your Association with a dedicated section on the PAPTAC Website, with an on-line forum, a group e-mail, and even a newsletter - in other words a UofT student group workspace – as part of the overall student and future workforce program of PAPTAC. A steering committee composed by a student Chair, a Vice-Chair and perhaps 1 or 2 others would provide an effective leadership format.

Please visit www.paptac.ca for complete information on the Association.

Information: Carmie Lato, Project Manager, PAPTAC 514-392-6969 /
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it